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Developers present Wharton Street plan

A proposed development on Wharton Street in Summerland will house the museum, the library, a cultural centre and housing units.
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Joe Mahovlich shows part of the plan for the proposed Wharton Street development. After a year of planning

A proposed development on Wharton Street will house the museum, the library, a cultural centre and housing units, although the full details have not yet been determined.

Details of the plan were shown at an open house last week.

Wilfred Barranoik, managing director and senior consultant with Westrand Consulting Group Inc., said the five-storey building will have a similar footprint to an earlier development proposed for the site.

“The land use is very similar but there are some other changes being made,” he said.

Work is also needed on Wharton Street, Kelly Avenue and Brown Street in order to provide the utilities needed, he said.

Developers have been working out the concept for the development for the past 10 to 12 months and are now meeting with officials from the library, museum and the Parkdale Housing Society to determine what is needed.

Barranoik said developers are hoping to begin work in August and to have it complete for the first tenants in October to December  of next year.

Earlier, Kamloops-based developer Mike Rink of New Futures Development Group had been considering building a seven-storey development at the same site.

Rink’s plan for the site expired on Jan. 15, 2011.

The Wharton Street proposal would replace the buildings used by the Summerland Museum and Summerland Library.

The library, built in 1981, is about half the size required for a community of this size and the museum has also been facing challenges because of space limitations.

 



John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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